Audacity Of Dreams – Book Launch – 10th March 2018

Audacity of Dreams: a manifesto for citizens and the government for a change

New Delhi, 10/03: Reads like a manifesto for inculcating citizenry consciousness and plan of action on part of the government for fostering unity and integrity in the country, book “Audacity of Dreams” presents a lively picture of a purported national festival on words.

Written by journalist turned lawyer Biraja Mahapatra, the book perhaps would fall in the genre of its own as it calls for certain actions through educational institutions and religious institutions across the country for nation building purpose.

The idea is simple. Let all students write a pledge in their mother tongue on a piece of paper and obtain signatures of their parents on it. The campaign would involve 90 crore people without any expenses. Let it be a national festival with religious institutions creating a symphony by use of drums, conchs, sirens etc to usher in that appointed time and let it involve masses to join the rendition for peace, love and harmony.

Mahapatra says in the book, If Constitution Day (November 26) is prelude to such an effort, perhaps a national day for bringing all religious institutions and educational institutions together for heralding peace, love and harmony in the country is not far off. Mahapatra heads a civil society team named Build India Group.

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, following suggestions made by delegates of the civil society, had instructed in 2016 that all students across the country should as a part of their Constitution Day activity should discuss their fundamental duties as enshrined in Article 51A of the Constitution.

Mahapatra says that a pledge on the foundation of fundamental duties has already been drafted in almost all official languages with uniformity in contents and pledge in 15 official languages is already in circulation.

The book comprises eight interesting chapters i.e. The Little Republic, The Great Indian Faith System, Nationalism Grossly Misunderstood, The Era of Bullet Train, Call of Duty, Answer to Terrorism, Symphony of Harmony and Audacity of Dreams.